Tail gate operating mechanism for dump trucks



Oct. 29, 1946. J. D. BURNS 2,410,046

TAIL GATE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DUMP TRUCKS Filed Feb. 2; 1945 2 Sheets-She et 1 1' \Jizke 13.31; 777.5.

DQ762912 v www Oct. 29, 1946. 4 BURNS 72,410,046

TAIL GATE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DUMP TRUCKS Filed Feb. 2, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 as I 2a Era/ 3f. 29

Jake- 2-510 Patented Oct. 29, 1946 UNITED STATES PATEN-TOFFICEV TAIL. GATE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DUMP TRUCKS Jake D. Burns, Richmond, oaliri.

Application February2, 1945, Serial No. 575,852

4 Claims. 1,

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in mechanism for operating the tail or end gate of dumping trucks and more particularly to a mechanism of: this character adapted. for automatically swinging the tail gate to openand closed. positionsas the body is raised and lowered thereby. to facilitate the discharge of materialfrom the dump truck.

One of theimportantobjeets ofthe present invention is to provide a simple and positive mechanism for automatically opening the tail gate when. the dumptruck body is-raised for the purpose of discharging. thematerial therefrom and for: automatically restoring the tail gate to a closed position as the body is lowered,

A further objectofthe inventionisto provide an automatic tail gate operating mechanism of this character-. inwhich the tail gate is automatically latchedin its closed position by the'dropping: of the dump truck body, thereby avoiding the. necessity of speciallatching mechanism to insure against accidental discharge of the contentsof thetruck.

A still furtherobject of the. invention is to provide means: for pivotally mounting andswinging the tail gate at either its'upper'or lower edge together with mechanism operated by araising movement of the body of the truck tosWing the tail gate into its open position-fromeither its upper or lower edge.

Hitherto considerable difficulty has been encountered in structures of this character in that the several parts of the mechanism do not lune-- tionw-together under all. conditions and are moreorless complicated and it is an object of the present invention to provide a combined latching and opening device or mechanism which will notonly be relativelysimple in construction but whichwill function perfectly under all conditions.

Incarrying out the invention I- provide commonmeans for operating the-linkage mechanism for opening the tail gate and the push rod which actuates the tail gate latching mechanism. Thus a single actuating-mechanism serves adualpurpose.

A further important object ofthe present invention is to provide a latching mechanism for the-tail gate which includes a push rod operated by linkage mechanism for moving the tail gatev into its openposition upon a raising movement of the truck body and in which adjustable-means is provided for the-push rod to insure prompt and "positive releasing ofthe latch prior to the opening movement-of the tail gate.

A still further object of the invention isflto providean apparatus of thischar-acter of simple and practical construction, which is efficientand reliable in. operation, relatively inexpensive; to

manufacture and install in operative position. on a conventional typeof dump. truck body without? necessitatingany material changes or alterations in the construction thereof and whichotherwisex is well adapted for the. purposes for. whichmthe:

same isintended.

Other objects andiadvantages. reside in the; de-' tailsqof construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described: and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming" part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the body in its lowered position and with the tail gate closed.

Figure 2:is alsimilar view showing the body raised and with the tail gateopen.

Fig-ure3isa top plan view of the tail gate operatingmechanism.

Figure 4 is a rear elevational viewthereof. Figure 5 isan' edge elevational View of theadjustable link' connected to the tailgate.

Figure 6 isarsideelevational view thereof.

Figure '7 is an edge elevational View of another of the links pivoted to the truck body.

Figure 8 is'a plan view thereof.

Figure 9 is an edgeelevational view of the doublearm providing an operative connection between the rock' shaft carriedbythe truck body movement in any: conventional. manner well known in theart.-

A pair" oftransverselyextendin'g.pins 9 are carried by the frame 5' and. to which a pair of links ID are pivotally attached atone end, the

links. H having-an inclined slot ll formed adjacent their other ends and. to which double arms l2 are pivotally attached by means of pins l3 carried at one end of the arms l2.

The armsl2 are formed of spaced parallel members "between which the slotted end of the link I is positioned and pivoted thereto on the pin l3.

The other ends of the members H! are formed with square-shaped openings I 5 formed in a. cutout edge N5 of the members M and adapted for receiving the square-shaped portion of a rock shaft journaled transversely in the bottom of the truck body 6. The shaft is retained in the openings l5 by means of a removable plate I9 secured in the cut-out portion l6 by means of bolts or the like 23. The plates l9 also serve to secure the members M to each other in spaced parallel relation as will be apparent from an inspection of Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings.

To the outer ends of the rock shaft H are secured a pair of arms 2| for actuation by the rock shaft, the arms 2| extending upwardly at the sides of the truck body 6 and have their 1110- per ends pivoted to the front end of a front link member of an articulate or toggle-type element 22 slidably mounted between a pair of guide rollers '23 secured to the adjacent sides of the truck body. The rear end of the toggle link member 22 is connected to the front end of a rear link member 24 which is also slidably mounted between a pair of guide rollers 25 secured to the adjacent sides of the truck body. The link member24 is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 26 in the rear end of which is pivotally received a rod 21 projecting at opposite ends outwardly from theacljacent side edge of a tail or endgate 23, the rod 21 being positioned intermediate the upper and lower portions of the tail gate.

An adjusting block 23 is slidably mounted in the slot 2'0 of the link member 2 and secured in longitudinally adjusted position therein by means of bolts 33 (see Figs. 5 and 6 for clarity), the block 29 thus being adjustable when desired, to permit an initial movement of the links 22 and 24 prior to the opening of the tail gate 28 and thus permit a predetermined raising movement of the truck body before the openin of the tail gate.

The tail gate 28 is provided with upper and lower rods 3| and 32 projecting at their opposite ends laterally from the side edges of the tail gate, the outer ends of the upper rod 3| being received within substantially U-shaped brackets 3| for pivotal movement therein and retained in position in the brackets by means of a locking pin 33.

-The outer ends of the lower rod 32 are similarly received between substantially U-shaped brackets 34 for pivotal mounting therein and retained in position in said brackets by means of a locking pin 35.

Accordingly, the tail gate 28 may be pivoted at either its upper or lower edges by removing one pair of the locking pins 33 or 35 and the tail gate thus maybe opened upwardly as shown by the full line position in Figure 2 of the drawings, or may be opened downwardly as shown by the dotted line position.

Thelower rod member 32 is also secured against opening movement of the tail or end gate 28 by'means of'a latch member 33 of substantially L-shaped construction having a hook 31 at its lower end for engaging the rod 32, the latch being pivoted at the junction of its vertical and horizontal portion to the side of the truck body 6 by means of a-pin 38 and the vertical portion of the latch member is engaged by the rear end of a longitudinally extendin push rod 39 slidably mounted in guides 4!! attached to the side of the truck body.

The front end of the push rod 39 is provided with an elongated hollow head 4| threadedly attached to the front end of the push rod for adjusting the head longitudinally thereon, the front end of the head being disposed in the path of an enlargement 42 formed at the lower edge of the arm 2| (see Fig. 3).

The head 4| is secured in its longitudinally adjusted position on the rod 39 by means of a lock nut 43. y I

The latch member 36 is yieldably retained in its raised position with the hook 31 in engagement with the rod 32 by means of a coil spring 44 connecting the upper end of the latch member with one of the guides 40. The spring also serves 'to retain the push rod 39 in its forwardly diswardly whereby to rock the shaft l1 and move the arm 2| rearwardly, thus causing a rearward movement of the push rod 39 to release the latch 36 from engagement with the rod 32 and at the same time the links 22 and 24 are moved rearwardly to swing the tail gate upwardly into its open position and thus permit, discharge of the contents of the truck body.

Upon a lowering movement of the truck body the tail gate 28 will likewise be lowered into its r closed position and the lower rod 32 again engaged by the latch member 36 to lock thev same truck body 6 will then swing the tail gate 28 downwardly as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings. When opening the tail gate downwardly the head 4| may be adjusted so as to move the latter rearwardly out of engagement by the arm 2| and the latch 36 will thus be retained in engagement with the rod 32 to provide pivotal engagement for the rod without the use of the locking pin 35.

In order to insure the opening of the latch 36 prior to the opening movement of the tail gate the block 29 carried by the link 24 maybe adjusted in the slot 26 to provide the necessary delayed engagement of the block with the rod 21.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. it isbelieved that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the'device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description thereof. is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though I have herein shown and describeda preferred embodiment of my invention that the same is susceptible to certain changes fully come prehended by the spirit of the invention as here-- in described, and the scope of the appended pivoted at its upper and lower edges for selectively swinging upwardly or downwardlyjinto open position, means for locking one of said edges against opening movement while the other of said edges is free, a rock shaft journaled transversely of the truck body, arms secured to the shaft and extending respectively upwardly and downwardly therefrom, a link connecting the lower arm to a stationary part of the truck for rotating the shaft upon a raising and lowering movement of the truck body, means connecting v the upper arm to an intermediate part of the tail gate to open and close the latter upon operation versely of the truck body, arms secured to the shaft and extending respectively upwardly and downwardly therefrom, a link connecting the lower arm to a stationary part of the truck for rotating the shaft upon a raising and lowering movement of the truck body, means connecting the upper arm to an intermediate part of the tail gate to open and close the latter upon operation of the shaft, a latch means for one edge of the tail gate, and a push rod slidably carried by the body for releasing the latch means, said push rod having one end disposed in the path of movement of one of said arms for actuation of the push rod.

3. A tall gate opening and closing mechanism for dump truck bodies and comprising a tail gate pivoted at its upper and lower edges for selectively swinging upwardly or downwardly into open position, means for locking one of said edges against opening movement while the other of said edges is free, a rock shaft journaled transversely of the truck body, arms secured to the shaft and extending respectively upwardly and downwardly therefrom, a link connecting the lower arm to a stationary part of the truck for rotating the shaft upon a raising and lowering movement of the truck body, means connecting the upper arm to an intermediate part of the tail gate to open and close the latter upon operation of the shaft, a latch means for one edge of the tail gate, a push rod slidably carried by the body for releasing the latch means, and a longitudinally adjustable extension on one end of the push rod and disposed in the path of movement of one of said arms for actuation of the push. rod upon a raising movement of the body.

4. A tail gate opening and closing mechanism for dump truck bodies and comprising a tail gate pivoted at its upper and lower edges for selectively swinging upwardly or downwardly into open position, means for locking one of said edges against opening movement while the other of said edges is free, a rock shaft journaled transversely of the truck body, arms secured to the shaft and extending respectively upwardly and downwardly therefrom, a link connecting the lower arm to a stationary part of the truck for rotating the shaft upon a raising and lowering movement of the truck body, and links connecting the upper arm to an intermediate part of the tail gate to open and close the latter during said movement of the body, one of said last-named links including a slot and said tail gate having a pin positioned in the slot, and a block adjustably secured in the slot to limit movement of the pin therein.

D. BURNS. 

